Ship-locating device



C. MAY.

SHIP LOCATlNG DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN 19, 1916.

1 1 96, 1 3 1 Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

Java/7 7011' CHARLES MAY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

SI-IIP-LOCATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

Application filed January 19, 1916. Serial No. 73,031.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'CIIARLES MAY, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ship-Locating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ship locating devices and the object of my improvement is to produce a device that will serve to indicate the location of a sunken ship and which at the same time provides means that can be utilized for applying lifting devices to the ship for the purpose of raising the same.

In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a ship or boat of the submarine class equipped with a set of my improved ship locating devices. Fig. 2 is a similar view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the devices shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. i is a similar view with the drum released from the frame. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, on a still further enlarged scale, of the eye member. Fig. 6 is a similar view of a modification of the same.

A set of my improved ship locating devices comprises a plurality of individual devices distributed about the ship or boat, the number and location depending upon the size of the said ship or boat, each of which may be tripped in a manner to be described by its own tripping cord 10, and which cords may be combined and connected to a single cord 11, whereby the latter may be operated to trip the entire set of devices.

The boat 12 shown in Fig. 1 may represent a submarine, of 500 ton rating, and which would be equipped with a set of four individual devices, two on each side, the two on one side only being shown in the said figure. The said individualdevices comprise each a drum 13 on which is wound the main cord or cable 1-1, which cord let is double, the ends being secured both to the drum 13, and the middle, in the form of a loop 15 being engaged with the eye 16.

The drum 13 is preferably double, having a radial, annular dividing wall 17 at the middle, the two halves of the main cord 14 being wound one on each side of the said dividing wall 17. The ends of the body portion of the drum 13 are rounded to provide a curved end bearing 18, and the same is provided at each end with an axial bearing stud 19, which extends through the bearing 20 in the upright or standard 21. The two standards 21 are connected at their lower ends by a base portion 22, the said standards and base portion constituting the supporting frame. The base portion 22 is provided with holes 23 for screws or bolts by which the same is secured to the deck 24 of the boat 12.

The stud 19 is of appreciable width and the bearing 20 is in the form of a slot in the standard, open at the upper end, the stud l9 normallyresting at the bottom of the said slot. At about the middle of the bottom or end wall of the bearing slot 20 there is a well 25 in which is housed a spring 26, which spring 26 normally tends to lift the stud 19 out of the slot 20, which lifting however is normally prevented by some form of latch 27. The latch 27 as shown comprises a swinging arm or rocking member, pivoted to the standard 21 by its lower end by means of a pin 28 and'having a laterally extending arm 29 at the upper end for extending over the end 30 of the stud 19. The body portion, intermediate the arm 29 and the point of pivotal connection is connected to the end of the individual tripping cord 10, as shown at 31. The latch 27 is located on the outer face of the standard 21, the stud 19 projecting through the same suitably to provide the latch engaging portion 30 at the end, and which latter is preferably flattened, as shown at 32 for engaging with the latch arm 29.

Guide pulleys 33 are provided below the deck 24: for the individual tripping cords 10 adjacent the standards 21 and the two cords for each end pass over other guide pulleys 34 near the middle, where they are combined with a single cord 35, suitable for operating the two latches for each individual drum supporting device. The cords 35 serve as'the tripping cords proper for the individual drum supporting devices, and these are united to the main cord 11 for operating all the devices simultaneously.

The eye 16 comprises a plate, secured by the lower end to the side of the boat 12 and having an opening 36 in the upper end portion which serves as the eye proper, and through which the loop 15 of the main cord 1 1 passes.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the eye 16 is formed from a bar of round material,

the ends 37 of which are flattened, suitably to be secured to the side of the boat 12. The saidbar is bent into the form of a loop, whereby the body portion 88 incloses an open space which serves as the eye proper. In either case the said eye proper is of appreciably greater diameter than the main cord 14, suitably to admit of a cord or cable of many times greater size and strength than that of the said main cord 14.

In use, in case of liability of the ship sinking, the latches are operated, thus freeing the drums, so that they will float as the ship goes down, and the cord will unwind from the drum. The drum may be made of any suitable construction to permit the flotation thereof, such as steel, either hollow or cork filled. The location of the drum on the surface of the water will serve as the means for locating the ship, which however comprises only one feature of my invention. The other feature involves the provision of means for the application of suitable cables for raising the ship, and it is in carrying out this feature of my invention that I make use of the double main cord and the large opening for the eye proper.

As described, the loop at the middle of the main cord is engaged with the eye and the two ends of the cord are secured to the drum, one on each side thereof. Thus a double cord extends from the eye to the drum. By disconnecting the ends of the cord from the drum and connecting the said two ends to gether an endless cord is provided, extending through the eye. The main cord may be relatively small, possibly 4 or 1; of an inch in diameter. To some part of this a larger cord or cable will be secured, and the main cord will be rove through the eye, dragging the said larger cord with it, which latter will thus also be rove through the eye. Thus a relatively large cord will be rove through the eye, and by using the said second cord in the same manner as the first or main cord a cord or cable of any desired size and strength may be engaged with the eye.

By having a plurality of drum supporting devices a plurality of lifting cables will be attached to the ship and which may be connected to suitable lifting devices for lifting the ship as a Whole.

The portion of the latch cord 10 that passes through the deck 24 I make in the form of a rod 39 and provide a stufling box structure 40 in the deck, through which the same passes, in order to provide a watertight connection between the portions of the said latch cord 10 above and below the said deck 24.

Different forms of latch construction may be used, and in some cases the partition wall 17 of the drum 13 may be dispensed with and a plain, single form of drum used.

Between the upper end of the spring 26 and the stud l9 there may be a head or plun ger 41, that fits in the well 25. Also a set screw 42 may in some cases be provided in the standard 21, extending through a hole 43 in the side wall thereof, which may bear against the plunger 40 to hold the same against the pressure of the spring, thus preventing the said spring from operating.

I claim as my invention 1. In a ship locating device, a frame supported from the deck of the ship having a pair of standards, the said standards having slots that are open at the upper ends, a drum having axial studs positioned in the said slots, latch devices for holding the said studs in the said slots, an eye having a relatively large opening secured to said ship, and a relatively small cord passing through the said opening, the said cord being in the form of an extended loop, extending from the said eye to the said drum and having the ends secured to the said drum.

2. In combination a ship and a set of ship locating devices, the said devices comprising each a float device detachably supported on the upper side of the deck of the ship, and having a drum provided with a cord, an eye attached to the ship and connected to the said cord, a latch device for holding the said float device in position, a tension device for releasing the said latch device, the said ten sion device extending through the deck, and the said several tension devices being interconnected by a common cable, suitably to operate all of the said latch devices simultaneously.

CHARLES MAY.

Witnesses:

J. SGHEIDLER, FRANCIS B. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

